Chain.



' E. F. CLARK.

CHAIN.

APPLICATION FILED No.20. 1915.

1,214; 35. Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

a I. I. Fi

EDWARD FOSTER, CLARK, OF NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO W. G. CLARK & COMPANY, OF NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

CHAIN.

use.

Application filed December 20. 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD Fos'rnn CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of lvlassachuse'tts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chains, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in chains, particularly chains adapted to be used for bracelets, belts, or other articles of jewelry, and the purpose of my improvement is to provide a chain composed of interlocking units, or links, which shall possess flexibility in one plane only and which can be struck up by a single operation of suitable dies, said links being incased and retained as a unit by a series of tubular shells which may be either plain or ornamented in any desired manner or which may serve as the setting for precious stones, the principal features of my invention betion combined with strength, durability, and the capacity for any desired ornamentation.

I accomplish these objects by the device shown in the accompanying drawing, in whichFigure 1 is a plan View of one link. Fig. 2, a vertical or edgewise view of the same. Fig. 3, a plan of the tubular shell. Fig. 4, an edgewise view of said shell. Fig. 5, a plan view of a section of my chain showing several links with the inclosing tubular shells. Fig. 6, a vertical section through the line w-m of Fig. 5. Figs. 7 and 8, modified forms of the separate links. Fig. 9, a modification of the tubular shell. Fig. 10, a view of a bracelet or girdle joined together formed of said links and shells complete.

The same parts of my invention are indicated by the same letters throughout the various views.

In Fig. 1, a represents a link struck up by suitable dies out of flat stock of any desired thickness. The link is composed of the body portion a, having a projecting neck and head a a at one end and at the other end a cut-out portion a a of the same shape as a a but slightly larger so as to permit a proper amount of play, the cross-piece a being retained when the links are joined together by the projecting portions a a. In striking up the link a Specification of Letters Patent.

ing simplicity and cheapness of construe- Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

Serial No. 67,749.

from the flat stock, dies are so shaped as to bevel the cross-piece a and also the retaining wings or lugs a c as shown at M, a in Fig. 2, the purpose of which beveling will be disclosed hereafter. It is evident that a chain of any length may be formed by placing the required number of links upon a fiat surface and inserting the cross-piece a of one link into the space a of the adjacent link. It is evident, also, that such a chain while it would resist longitudinal tension if kept perfectly fiat would instantly fall apart if it were attemped to be raised from the flat surface. In order to retain the links in position as a unit, the tubular shell, Figs. 8 and 4, isused. This shell is rectangular in plan and also in crosss'ection and the interior tubular portion is of such size and shape as to make an easy sliding fit of the shell upon and over the links, a. It is apparent from inspection that if the links-a were inclosed in a shell having squared ends they would possess little or no flexibility. In order, therefore, to provide for the flexibility of the chain in a single plane the shell I) is slightly beveled at the ends adjacent to the openings of the interior tubular portion, as shown at Z)7), Fig. l. As bracelets, belts, necklaces, and the like, require to be flexible only in a single direction, said shells are usually formed with a single bevel, as shown in Fig. 4, and the adjacent shells ?)b are so arranged as to be close together upon the outer or convex surface of the chain thus greatly improving the beauty of the chain as a whole. If it is desired, however, to construct a chain in accordance with my invention which shall be flexible in a single plane but in opposite directions, the modification shown in Fig. 9 may be used in which 6 represents the tubular shell having one end thereof adjacent to the tubular opening of a convex circular cross-section and the opposite end adjacent to the tubular opening of a concave circular crosssection of the'same radius, as seen at ee.

The purpose of the bevel a a upon the opposite ends of the interior link a is to provide the necessary play between the shell and the inclosed link for the amount of flexibility desired.

The respective positions of the link a and the inclosing shell I) are as shown in Fig. 5, that is, the joints 6 between the adjacent shells coincide with the inner faces of the cross-piece a adjacent to the neck a making the line of such inner faces the axis of bending of the completed chain.

The method of assembling the chain, as stated above, consists simply of joining any number of the units or upon a fiat surface, then slipping over them the tubular shells b.?) until a chain of the desired length is made up. WVhen the desired length is obtained, the entire chain is secured together by a pin at each end of the chain, passing through the shell 6 and the inclosed link a, as'shown by b b in Figs. 3 and/1; or a plurality of pins may be used if desired at different points in the chain or any other equivalent mechanism may be used to render the chain a unit.

Instead of the'shape of link shown in Fig. 1, a different shape may be used, such as is shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, without departing in any wayfrom the principle of my invention. The fact that these separate links can be made complete from the flat stock by a single operation, and that they require no solder, no bending, or other'subsequent manipulation, that the shellsb may be sawed by a single-operation from the tubular stock, and that the fiat surface'of b may be ornamented in any manner desired, together with the strength of the completed article, and the neatness of fit due to flexibility in one plane only, constitute the principal merits of my invention.

Having now described my invention, what I. claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A chain'composed of a series of separable interlocking links in combination with a series of tubular shells slidably inclosing said-links, said shells having their ends adjacent to the openings therein, so formed as to give flexibility to said chain and means for retaining the whole chain together as a unit, substantially as set forth.-

2. A chain-adapted to be used for bracelets, beltsandithe like, limited in flexibility .to a single plane and composed of interlocking units, orlinks; a series of tubular shells inclosing, said links, the ends of said shells Copies of this patent may be obtained for adjacent to the openings therein being so formed as to permit flexure of the chain as a whole ina singleplane; the longitudinal ends of said links being so-shaped as to give freedom of movement between the extremities of said links and the inclosing shells and thus permitting flexure of the. chain in a single plane, said shells and links being retained as a unit by means of apin or pins passing through one or more of said shells and the inclosed links, substantially as set forth.

3. A chain composed of a series of interlocking units adapted to be'stamped ready for assembling from flat stock by a single operation-of suitable dies; a series of tubular shells inclosing said links, the ends of said shells adjacent to the openings therein being adapted to permit flexure of the chain in a 4 tion between thechain units.

5. A device of the character, described, comprising a plurality of chain units hingedly connected together, a plurality of sleeve units inclosin-g respectively each of said chain units, adjacent portions of said sleeve units provided with interlocking engagement and adapted to remain inclosed relation during the movement of the units, and to cover the hinge connection between the chain units.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

E. FOSTER CLARK.

Witnesses:

EDITH M. BROMLEY, HENRIETTA F. STEVENS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

